Flights: Whether you are boarding a domestic or international flight, your license and passport names do not need to match. Instead, the name used when booking the flight should match that on your photo ID (for domestic flights) or passport (for international flights). Airlines insist on this for security reasons.

For international travel, your passport is your primary ID, and the name on your airline ticket must match the name on your passport exactly. However, for domestic travel within the United States in 2026, the situation involves the REAL ID Act. As of May 7, 2025, all travelers 18 and older need a REAL ID-compliant driver's license or another acceptable form of ID (like a passport) to pass through TSA checkpoints. While your passport and your driver's license do not necessarily need to "match" each other (for example, if one has a maiden name and the other a married name), the ID you present to the TSA officer must match the name on your boarding pass. If you use your passport to fly, the ticket must match the passport; if you use your REAL ID license, the ticket must match the license. Minor discrepancies, such as a middle initial versus a full middle name, are usually overlooked by TSA, but major differences—like a completely different last name—will likely result in you being denied entry to the secure area of the airport unless you carry legal bridging documents like a marriage certificate or court-ordered name change decree.